Rising welterweights collide on Saturday night, as Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani faces Seokhyeon Ko at UFC Fight Night: Du Plessis vs. Usman in Oklahoma City.
Lebosnoyani (10–2, 1–0 UFC) edged out a split-decision win over Phil Rowe in his Octagon debut in February. Ko (13–2, 2–0 UFC) is also coming off a win over Rowe, defeating him in a unanimous verdict last November.
Ko enters as a -205 moneyline favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook. Lebosnoyani is a +170 underdog, with the fight total set at O/U 2.5 rounds.
Lebosnoyani vs. Ko Preview
Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani
- 10–2 (1–0 UFC)
- 3–2 (T)KO
- 5–0 SUB
Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani punched a ticket to MMA’s flagship promotion in style. Back in September, the 27-year-old American blew the roof off the Meta APEX with a highlight-reel, head-kick knockout of Jack Congdon on Dana White’s Contender Series.
A freestyle fighter with black-belt jiu-jitsu, “Mufasa” wields formidable grappling and a lethal submission game. Still, Lebosnoyani enters Saturday with a point to prove after narrowly edging out a split-decision win in his February debut against Phil Rowe. While he landed multiple takedowns and dictated much of the action early on, Lebosnoyani faded down the stretch and got picked apart in the final round — nearly costing him the bout. He’ll be looking to leave no doubt in his second trip to the Octagon.
Seokhyeon Ko
- 13–2 (2–0 UFC)
- 6–2 (T)KO
- 0–0 SUB
A fellow DWCS graduate, Seokhyeon Ko has hit the ground running in the UFC. “The Korean Tyson” has taken his first two bouts in dominant fashion, securing a pair of unanimous decisions without losing a round on any scorecard.
Ko, 32, pairs black-belt judo with a solid striking game, backing his hands-down approach with swift head movement and scholarly fight IQ. He’s also coming off a victory over Rowe, albeit in a far more convincing fashion. Back in November, he suffocated the veteran — outstriking him 124–11 (36–4 significant strikes), landing all four of his takedown attempts, and piling up more than 13 minutes of control time across three rounds. He’ll aim to accomplish more of the same in his return to the cage.
Lebosnoyani vs. Ko Pick, Best Bet
In their last fights, both against Phil Rowe, Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani squeaked past the veteran — Seokhyeon Ko mauled him. Let that be a sign of things to come.
Ko enters Saturday with elite fight IQ, a proven three-round gas tank, and the type of grappling that screams I’m going to do whatever I want! While he hasn’t shown much finishing upside in the Octagon, Ko has nailed down the formula to secure another decision victory over Lebosnoyani.
